“Officers from the Warsaw Police Headquarters’ Department for Combating Criminal Terrorism and Homicide have detained another person in connection with triggering false alarms concerning threats to health and life,” the Warsaw police announced. The statement emphasized that the detainee is a 29-year-old resident of the Otwock district who is suspected of “making two telephone calls to the emergency number 112 on May 18 this year, informing authorities of a threat to detonate an explosive device on the premises of a television station.”
A series of false alarms
In May, a series of false alarms targeted opposition politicians and journalists. Police took action, among other places, at the apartment of the editor-in-chief of TV Republika following a report concerning an alleged threat to the life of a minor. Police also intervened at a property belonging to Jarosław Kaczyński in Warsaw. According to Rafał Bochenek, spokesperson for Law and Justice, the report concerned the alleged placement of explosive devices in the garden of the PiS leader’s property.
On Saturday evening, emergency services forcibly entered an apartment belonging to the mother of President Karol Nawrocki following another false alarm. Later that night, an urgent meeting of the services was held at the Ministry of the Interior and Administration under the leadership of Minister Marcin Kierwiński. On Sunday morning, Prime Minister Donald Tusk convened a briefing attended by ministers and representatives of the security services.
False alarms. A 29-year-old detained
The Warsaw Metropolitan Police Headquarters announced on X that another person had been detained by its Department for Combating Criminal Terrorism and Homicide. The suspect is a 29-year-old resident of the Otwock district.
“A 29-year-old resident of the Otwock district is suspected of making two calls to the emergency number 112 on May 18 this year, informing authorities of a threat to detonate an explosive device on the premises of a television station, which constitutes an offense under Article 224a §1 of the Penal Code,” the police wrote.
Police added that the man admitted to the alleged act and that officers secured two mobile phones and a computer at the scene. The Warsaw police also stated that the Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office requested that the suspect be placed in pre-trial detention for three months, a request granted by the District Court for Warsaw Mokotów.
“Investigative activities were conducted on multiple fronts and required close cooperation between officers from the Digital Crime Department and the Investigation Department of the Warsaw Police Headquarters, together with the Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office,” the police emphasized.
Marcin Kierwiński, Minister of the Interior and Administration, also commented on the arrests.
“Further arrests have been made in the false alarm cases — a total of five people have been detained, three of whom have already been placed in custody. Intensive police work is continuing. Further arrests and investigative activities are planned. Zero tolerance for criminals,” the politician wrote.